“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
Oprah Winfrey’s quote echoes the hopes many of us have as we turn a new calendar page, yet the night we celebrate this transition can go terribly wrong.
Emergency rooms see an uptick in patients on New Years Eve. Celebrations can turn deadly when too much alcohol is consumed, people use opioids, or there is celebratory gunfire to ring in the new year.
If you are going out and plan to drink, make sure you have a plan for how to get home safely. State Farm reminds those hosting parties to stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends and provide additional food or snacks..To avoid alcohol poisoning, the Cleveland Clinic encourages people to pace and space their consumption with water, and never drink on an empty stomach.
Having naloxone on hand can save a life. Any person who asks for this drug, also known as Narcan, from a pharmacy can purchase it, with or without a prescription. If you suspect someone has overdosed, administer naloxone and call 9-1-1. Missouri’s 911 Good Samaritan Law protects the person who calls and the person experiencing the emergency.
The tradition of firing a gun when the clock strikes midnight is dangerous.Crimestoppers reports bullets fired into the air can fall at 200 feet per second—a velocity that can penetrate the skull. If you hear celebratory gunfire in your neighborhood, call your local police department.
Resources:
https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/family/new-years-eve-safety-tips
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16640-alcohol-poisoning
https://patch.com/new-jersey/belleville/possible-drug-overdose-rescue-new-years-eve-nutley-pd
https://mohopeproject.org/resources/get-naloxone/
https://health.mo.gov/safety/ems/more/pdf/good-samaritan-brochure.pdf
https://crime-stoppers.org/the-dangers-of-celebratory-gunfire/
